Greece’s hotel industry has voiced strong concerns over the country’s proposed Special Spatial Planning Framework for Tourism (EXPT), warning that key provisions could hinder investment and development across tourism destinations.
The issue was at the center of an extraordinary meeting of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (HHF), which reviewed the draft framework and outlined a series of reservations regarding the proposed legislation.
According to the federation, the establishment of a modern and effective spatial planning framework has long been a priority for the hotel sector. Such a framework, it said, can provide regulatory stability, legal certainty and a reliable environment for tourism investment, all of which are considered essential for the continued growth of Greece’s tourism industry.
However, HHF argues that the framework should serve as a strategic planning tool rather than a mechanism for imposing blanket restrictions and prohibitions across the country. The federation stressed that tourism policies should reflect the unique characteristics and development needs of individual destinations.
A key concern relates to proposed limits on tourism accommodation capacity. HHF maintains that decisions regarding tourism beds should be addressed through Local Urban Planning Schemes rather than through a single national framework that may fail to account for local economic and social realities.
The federation also highlighted the concept of carrying capacity, describing it as a dynamic management tool that changes according to infrastructure, investment levels and local conditions. It warned that using carrying capacity as a basis for broad restrictions could create distortions and undermine the long-term development prospects of Greek tourism destinations.
In addition, HFF expressed concern about the rapid expansion of short-term rental properties, arguing that they place additional pressure on local infrastructure while creating conditions of unfair competition for legally operating tourism businesses.
Despite what it described as tight consultation deadlines, the federation announced that it will submit a comprehensive set of proposals to the relevant ministries. The aim, it said, is to help shape a spatial planning framework that promotes sustainable development while safeguarding the future of Greece’s hospitality sector.
